The Smashing Pumpkins Bring Trio of Shows to NYC’s Beacon Theatre

With a career spanning 25 years, The Smashing Pumpkins continue to be a force in music. The band played three packed consecutive shows at Beacon Theatre in New York City. We attended the second night, and for the first few songs of the set frontman Billy Corgan performed acoustic versions of “Cardinal Rule,” “Stumbleine” and “Tonight, Tonight.” Other Pumpkin favorites “Today,” “Disarm” and “1979” also filled the venue.

Opener Liz Phair joined the Pumpkins to perform “Thirty-Three” with the band. The set was also filled with covers, from performing “Space Oddity” by the late legend David Bowie to a cover of Zwan’s “Jesus, I/ Mary Star of the Sea,” along with a rendition of the Natalie Imbruglia song “Identify.” While the relationship between Billy Corgan and Courtney Love has often been tumultuous, the Pumpkins performed a rendition of Hole's “Malibu,” which Corgan co-wrote.

The unique set ended with Billy Corgan singing “Happy Birthday” dedicated to Sierra Swan and things concluded on the second night with the Rolling Stone classic “Angie.” Check out photos in our gallery above of the first three songs of the set during which Billy Corgan performed solo.